BELMONT, N.C. – Despite a cold-shooting night, the Limestone College women's basketball team used a 16-0 fourth-quarter run to rally for a 62-52 win over Coker College in the final game of the Conference Carolinas/SAC Showdown on Saturday, November 11 at the Wheeler Center.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 62, Coker 52
Records: Limestone (2-0), Coker (1-1)
Location: Wheeler Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Senior Keidra Smith (Mebane, N.C.) tallied a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds
• Senior Aaliyah Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.) also added a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards
• Senior Jasmine Richardson (Talladega, Ala.) chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds
• Junior Taylour Hunter (Easley, S.C.) recorded 11 points and five assists
• Senior Aliya Ruffin (Apex, N.C.) finished with nine points and eight boards
• Limestone went 16-of-60 (26.7%) from the field and 5-of-20 (25%) from distance
• Defensively, the Saints limited Coker to a 17-for-63 (27%) clip from the floor
• Limestone forced 17 turnovers, but was guilty of turning the ball over 18 times on the other end
• The Blue and Gold won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Cobras 48-43

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Five early turnovers and a cold start from the field by the Blue and Gold allowed Coker to jump out to a 10-0 lead midway through the opening quarter. The Saints would finally get something to fall at the 3:53- mark of the first on a short-range jumper by Richardson, cutting the margin to 10-2.
 
That bucket would start a 9-2 stretch for Limestone as Richardson added four points during the run while Hunter chipped in five, including a long distance connection. However, the Cobras would hit two free throws to close the scoring in the period to take a 14-9 advantage at the end of the first.  
 
Second Quarter
 
Smith nailed a triple to start the second for the Saints, trimming the lead to 14-11, but Coker responded with seven straight points to regain a 10-point edge with 5:55 left to play. Limestone countered, however, as a jumper by Smith sparked a 14-2 spurt to give the Blue and Gold its first lead of the evening.
 
Ruffin added a layup to help power the run before Smith connected from distance to make it a one-possession game. Davis would then put the Saints on top for the first time with an inside score before her three-point play with 68 ticks left made it a 25-23 game at the break.   
 
Third Quarter
 
Points did not come easy for Limestone in the third quarter as the Blue and Gold missed its first 11 shots from the floor and turned the ball over six times to start the period. The Cobras took full advantage of the shooting woes as a 13-0 run put them back in front, 36-25, with 3:32 left in the period.
 
The Saints finally got on the board at the 3:19-mark as Smith knocked down a jumper to starting an 8-0 run over the next two and a half minutes. Ruffin capped the span with a layup, cutting the margin to three, but Coker closed out the third by scoring five of the next six points to pull ahead 41-34.  
 
Fourth Quarter
 
The Cobras extended the margin to 43-34 early in the fourth, but Limestone countered with a 7-2 spurt to pull within four with 5:40 remaining. Davis started the run with a layup before Ruffin dialed long distance, but Coker would push the advantage to 47-41 on the very next possession.
 
Smith took over from there, scoring seven straight points and 10 of the next 12 markers for the Saints to power a decisive 16-0 run down the stretch. Hunter hit four consecutive free throws, and would go 6-of-6 from the line over the final 71 seconds as Limestone completed the 62-52 come-from-behind win.
 
TURNING POINT
 
The Saints struggled from the field for most three and a half quarters, but finally found a groove on the offensive side with a game-winning 16-0 run late in the fourth.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Limestone overcame three different double-digit deficits to get the win
• The Saints picked up the victory despite being outscored 27-0 off the bench
• The Blue and Gold has won six straight against Coker, improving 25-15 all-time in the series
• Smith recorded her seventh career double-double
• Davis added the fifth double-double of her career

 
UP NEXT
 
After playing two games in two days, the Saints will get a week off before traveling to face Lander University in a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament opener on Saturday, November 18 at 1:30 p.m.